News

What is Copyright Infringement and Why Does it Matter to Screen Printers?

Jacelyn WedmanApr 28, 2023

Copyright infringement can happen to anyone. Say a client asks you to print a design of a cup of coffee with the Starbucks logo on it. You may think it’s no big deal and grab its logo online and slap it on a t-shirt. A few months later, a cease and desist letter or email comes to you. Guess what? That Starbucks logo is copyrighted. Navigating copyrights is a bit tricky. Let’s dive in and define copyright and copyright infringement. Then we’ll see how it relates to screen printers.

How to Create & Screen Print QR Codes on Garments

Jacelyn WedmanApr 12, 2023

Quick Response codes, or QR codes, are everywhere. You sit down at a restaurant and to read the menu, you have to scan a QR code. You walk through a trade show, stop by a booth with stellar equipment, and to get that show discount, you gotta scan a QR code. You’re picking up a new couch you found on Facebook Marketplace. To Venmo the seller, they bring up the QR code for their account so you can scan it and easily reimburse them.

Should You Go Auto or Hire Another Printer?

Jacelyn WedmanMar 16, 2023

Boxes of shirts are stacked from the floor to the ceiling. You’re covered with pallet adhesive and ink. Your wrists ache with pain, your legs are numb, fingers are stiff. You pause, staring at the 716th shirt you printed that day. You stare at the stack of t-shirts behind the press, printing 1,500 to be exact. The clock reads 11:17 PM. This order is due tomorrow. You look down and sigh, staring at your cracked, callous hands. This is the 12th time you’ve had to work late to finish a high-volume order this month. You can’t take it anymore. Something has got to change.

So, you, the printer, have two options. Hire another printer or go auto. But which should you do? Let’s explore these options so you can decide which is best for your growing shop.

What is Minimum Order Quantity and Why Does it Matter?

Jacelyn WedmanMar 15, 2023

Every printer wants to make money. You don’t want to lose profit on a job, but don’t want to turn potential customers away. So what do you do? Set a minimum order quantity. A minimum order quantity will ensure that you are putting in the effort that isn’t going to waste. It also can help weed out customers who aren’t committed to quality like you are. Get your calculators out; this is going to take a bit of math. Don’t worry though. Here’s everything you need to find your minimum order quantity for every job.

How Moving Shops Helped Abi-Saad Print & Design Work Toward Goals and Create Community

Jacelyn WedmanFeb 10, 2023

Moving to a new shop space is exciting but also intimidating. The process can be riddled with challenges or go smoothly. Anthony Abi-Saad found both when he moved his shop, Abi-Saad Print & Design, to a new location in Taunton, Massachusetts. It wasn’t the first time he’d moved, but it was a big new challenge. One main challenge: creating a darkroom from scratch. With a bit of creativity and some expert help, he was able to make it all happen.

A Guide to Firing up Your T-Shirt Printing Side Hustle

Jacelyn WedmanSep 09, 2022

Need some extra cash? Want to diversify your income? Starting a side hustle is a great way to earn some extra money while doing something you love. Screen printing is a great side hustle to start up. Dip your toes in with a small press and take the craft as far as you want. Let’s talk about why you’d want a side hustle, what you’ll need, and how to be successful at it.

4 Steps to Prepare Your Screen Print Shop for a Severe Storm

Jacelyn WedmanAug 10, 2022

It’s summer storm season again. You know what that means: natural disasters and storms that can impact your business. What should you do to prepare for a severe storm and protect your print shop? Here are six tips for prepping before a storm and what to do if your shop does get damaged.

4 Steps to Turn Cardboard into a DIY T-shirt Folder

Jacelyn WedmanJul 22, 2022

Ever seen a T-shirt folded to perfection and thought it increased the value of the shirt? Folding T-shirts is a great way to increase the value of your orders. By folding shirts, you can create custom packaging and wow customers by adding a small step into your process. A T-shirt folder not only quickly folds t-shirts to industry-standard specs, but it is also an affordable option to streamline your process. Want to create your own? Here’s how.

Why Live Printing? PRNT SCRN Screen Printing Weighs In

Jacelyn WedmanJun 17, 2022

Live printing: some printers love it, others don’t. Doing live printing takes a little bit of bravery and a whole lot of preparation. So why should you do live printing? What’s so great about it? Josh Dykstra, the owner of PRNT SCRN Screen Printing, discusses his experience in live screen printing.

A Guide to Pricing Screen Printed Garments and Turning a Profit

Jacelyn WedmanJun 15, 2022

Unless you’re only screen printing for fun, you need to know how much you should sell your shirts to make a profit. The best way to know for sure how much you should sell your shirts to make a profit is to use a profit calculator. Following a calculator is helpful, but how does it translate to the real world? Here’s a crash course in pricing shirts as well as some pricing advice from real-life shops.

A 5-Step Guide to Separating Spot Colors in Adobe Illustrator

Jacelyn WedmanApr 15, 2022

For some screen printers, using Illustrator to separate colors can be overwhelming at times. Luckily, the main roadblock people run into is over-thinking the process. In this video, Luke Ryerkerk shows a simple way to separate a design using some key tools in Illustrator.

Your Brand Starts Here with the Riley Hopkins 150 Press

Sage LarsonApr 08, 2022

Ready to start your own clothing brand? No matter what position you're in, the Riley Hopkins 150 Press will help you start your brand — and that's just the beginning. Let's learn how the press can expand your brand, your shop, or your business without costing you an arm and a leg.